Cradle Will Rock
by Kayko
Summary: A mysterious person, claiming to be a distant relative, has left a baby on the doorsteps of the Tendo Dojo. Can the Tendo household handle this newborn? Even more so, can Ranma and Tendo's handle who the baby really is?
1. Rockabye baby

Disclaimer:  
  
These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful Romiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans. No copyright infringement is intended. So please don't sue.  
  
~~~~***~~~**~~~***~~~~  
  
And the Cradle will Rock  
  
Part one: Rock-a-bye baby  
  
by Kayko  
  
~~~~***~~~**~~~***~~~~  
  
A cloak figure ran through the streets of Nerima. The mystery person held something close to their body as the blanket of darkness provided the right amount of cover. The unknown kept looking over their shoulders. Nervous eyes peered from underneath the dark hood. The echoes of the footsteps halted, another quick look over the shoulder and in a single leap the figure jumped onto the rooftops and took off again.  
  
A sign of relief escaped the person's mouth. In front of the familiar door brought tears to the eyes, but it could have been because they were going to leave something of extreme importance. The wrapped bundle was removed from their chest and placed at the doorstep. They turned away and disappeared into the night  
  
***********************  
  
To the Tendo and Saotome family,  
  
Please take care of Juro. I am unable to protect him anymore. I have left as much money I could leave with him in order to not put a stain on the household's finances. It is of imperative that he is kept safe. Please take care of my little Juro Signed a distant relative.  
  
"Oh my," is all Kasumi could say as she read the letter and glanced at the small boy in basket.  
  
~~~~***~~~**~~~***~~~~  
  
  
  
"I can't believe that JERK!" Akane yelled as she stomped down the stairs.  
  
"You're so sensitive, all I said ." Ranma tried to finish, but Akane cut him off with a mallet to his head. "OUCH! YOU'RE SUCH A TOMBOY!" He Yelled.  
  
"Shhhhh! Akane, Ranma, you'll wake the baby," Kasumi said softly.  
  
"Baby?" Both Akane and Ranma said together. Kasumi turned around and in her arms was a baby. "What the?" Akane and Ranma said at the same time. "Well, whoever left the kid did leave a good amount of change." Nabiki said from the table. "I say at least a years worth anyway."  
  
"Hey, where did the baby come from?" Akane asked.  
  
"I don't know, he was just sitting on our doorstep this morning. I found him when I went outside to get the morning paper.  
  
"So what are going to do with it?" Ranma asked innocently. "Why take care of him of course," Kasumi replied as she smiled sweetly.  
  
"Dad is she serious?" Akane asked her father. "Whoever left the child trusts us, and was willing to give their baby boy up."  
  
"That doesn't mean anything, lots of babies are abandoned. What makes this one different?" Akane answered back.  
  
"Yes, but how many of them leave a good amount of money with the kid," Nabiki chimed in.  
  
The baby in Kasumi's arms started to whimper. She just smiled and rocked the baby back to sleep. "Ranma, Akane. After breakfast could you please go up to the attic and pull down the crib, playpen, highchair and some cloths." "Yeah sure Kasumi, "Ranma said. "But wouldn't you have only girl clothes? A guy can't wear girl clothes."  
  
"You do it all the time Ranma," Akane said sarcastically. "That's different!" He shouted back.  
  
"Shhh.. No, not at all," Kasumi said interrupting the start of another fight. "When mother was pregnant with Akane, father believed he was going to have a son. So he bought some cloths meant for a boy."  
  
Soun laughed, "Yeah I did think we were going to have a boy. Thank goodness I didn't buy to much stuff."  
  
"Well that explains a lot Akane, you were a tomboy before you were born." Ranma joked.  
  
"AH!" * BAM! * A mallet came crashing down on Ranma. "Baka!"  
  
The baby started to whimper again, then broke out in tears. Kasumi rocked the child and started to hum as she walked towards the window. There the morning sunshine encased her making her look heavenly.  
  
Soun face lit up and tears formed in his eyes. "It's Amazing," he stated. "Yes, indeed Tendo," Genma replied. "What? What's so amazing?" Nabiki asked.  
  
"Kasumi reminds so much of your mother, when she first had Kasumi in her arms." "Oh dad." Akane said softly.  
  
~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*~~~~~  
  
Dinnertime at the Tendo household.  
  
Kasumi out did herself, as usually, even though she had her attention towards the new houseguest. Ranma and Genma were engaged in warfare over food, as usual. Akane shook her head and quickly said, "Baka."  
  
"So we are agreed that we tell nobody that the child was left on the doorstep, but dropped off by a cousin of Saotome's," Soun said to his family and friends."  
  
"And who knows this could be good practice for our children Tendo," Genma expressed as he shoved rice into his mouth.  
  
"Yes, yes, I see what you mean," Soun said shifting his gaze toward Akane and Ranma.  
  
"What NO WAY!" Both yelled to their fathers. "Shhh! You are going to wake the." "WAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" "Baby," Kasumi finished saying.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
2:00am  
  
"WAHHHHHHHHH! WAHHHHHHHHH!"  
  
Akane, Nabiki and Ranma turned over in their beds; each tried to sleep through the cries of the person no larger then doll. However, Soun and Genma slept right through the sounds of the wailing babe. The only one who got up was Kasumi. The only one who took the responsibility of his 2:00 am feeding.  
  
3:00am  
  
"WAHHHHHH! WAHHHHHHH! WAHHHHHHHHHH!" Soun and Genma still slept with no trouble. Nabiki shoved two pillows in her ears to muffle the sound. Akane hid under her blanket. As did Ranma, but it did no good. Kasumi decided to roll over and sleep mumbling, "Can't. pick up.. whenever. .Cries."  
  
4:00 am  
  
"WAHHHHHHHH! WAHHHHHHHH! WAHHHHHHH!"  
  
"That's it!" Ranma said in frustration as he gathered himself to go downstairs. The baby was crying again and he couldn't stand to just lay there in his room anymore. He headed for the kitchen, where he noticed a light on and voices.  
  
"Well, well, looks whose up also," a cranky Nabiki said.  
  
"You two couldn't sleep either?" He asked the two Tendo sisters.  
  
"How can anyone sleep with that noise, I swear this may give me the insight to getting my tubes tied?"  
  
"Nabiki! How can you say that? This is all new to him; of course he is going to cry. And you don't mean that about having kids," Akane replied.  
  
"Yeah well," she trailed off.  
  
"Why hasn't Kasumi picked him up and rock him back to sleep? Like she did earlier?" "Kasumi said your not supposed to keep picking up a baby. You have to let them cry themselves to sleep." Akane answered him.  
  
"Well he has.. wait. do you hear that?" He asked.  
  
Both Nabiki and Akane listened carefully.  
  
"I don't hear anything," Nabiki said. "Exactly."  
  
"Ahhh!" Both replied with a smile.  
  
"Back to sleep?"  
  
"Back to sleep."  
  
"Hmmm.yes.. hmmm." "What is it doctor Tofu?" Akane asked to the doctor.  
  
"You want to know if everything is all right with the baby, correct?"  
  
"Yes, is everything all right?"  
  
"Why yes, little Juro is fine," Doctor Tofu said as he picked up the happy baby.  
  
"You say your cousin left him with you Ranma?"  
  
"Uh, yeah. But she really didn't stay long enough to tell us if he was all right and stuff."  
  
"Oh?" The doctor said with a hint of question.  
  
"Your cousin never told you how old he is."  
  
"Uh, No, she didn't."  
  
"Well by feeling the gums you can determined how old a child is. Let see.. uh huh.uh huh.okay  
  
"Ummm.does that work?" Ranma asked.  
  
"You know, I don't know," laughed the doctor as he let his finger run over the gums of the baby. "I think he is probably about six months old."  
  
"Oh okay, I'll tell Kasumi that," Akane said as she, the doctor and Ranma walked into the waiting room.  
  
"Tell me what Akane?" Kasumi said as she walked into the office.  
  
"Ka...Ka.Kasumi!" Tofu stuttered.  
  
Ranma grabbed Juro before the good doctor's glasses fogged up and began to run around the office with Betty on his back.  
  
"Oh Doctor Tofu you're so funny," Kasumi said with a smile.  
  
"Come on Ranma, let's take Juro home."  
  
Akane!" Kasumi yelled to them as they began to go home. "Yes, Kasumi?"  
  
"Please wait up." Kasumi caught up to her sister and Ranma. "I came to Doctor Tofu's to tell you that you and Ranma have baby-sitting detail this weekend."  
  
"What?" Ranma said. "Yes, father and uncle are going on a trip, Nabiki is spending the weekend over a friends house, something about a project due at school. And this weekends my sewing circle annual trip. Can you please watch over Juro?"  
  
A teardrop appeared on both Akane's and Ranma's head. "Sure," both said.  
  
"Oh good, I left instructions on the refrigerator." "Wait, now?" Akane asked. "Yes my ride is here for me. Don't worry everything will be fine. Bye- bye."  
  
Kasumi walked over to the parked van with about five women waved to her. Ranma looked at the small child in his arms, who smiled at him.  
  
"Huh? How hard could it be?"  
  
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
"Yuck! Ah stop that, come on just eat it" Ranma said as baby food was thrown in his face. He sat in a kitchen chair with baby Juro in his highchair, as he tried to feed him his dinner.  
  
"Ranma, I think there is more food on you then there is in him," Akane said. "Well he ain't eating it, it must be something you cooked." "What? Ranma how dare you!"  
  
"Please insert foot in mouth," thought Ranma when he felt the oncoming of a certain mallet. *BAM!*  
  
"Here I'll feed him." Akane grabbed to spoon from Ranma as he rubbed his head. She took a spoonful of the jarred baby food and started to make puttering sounds.  
  
"Mmmmnnmmmmnmmm, here comes the airplane for a landing, open the hatch." She said softly, as she moved the spoon around in circles towards the baby. And amazingly he opened his mouth and ate it.  
  
Akane just looked at Ranma and smiled a smile that yelled "TOLD YOU SO!"  
  
"Hey, how did you do that?" She kept feeding the boy, "I saw Kasumi do it other day." "That's no fair," he said under his breath.  
  
"Oh come on Ranma, just admit I did something you couldn't."  
  
"Hmmhm," he mumbled.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Okmmmmmit."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Okay, I admit it."  
  
"There that wasn't so hard now was it," she said as she continued to feed Juro.  
  
"Yeah, whatever. I'm going to get cleaned up."  
  
______________________________________________________________________  
  
~~~~~*~~~~~~~  
  
"Wahhhhhhhh! Wahhhhhh! Wahhha! Wahhhhhhh!"  
  
"Ranma could you please see what's wrong with Juro!" Akane yelled from upstairs.  
  
"Damn, can't I get through a set of Katas once tonight." Ranma walked into the living room, where the baby was crying in his playpen. Ranma bent down and picked him up. Stiff, stiff.  
  
"OH MY GOD! This kid reeks!"  
  
"He probably needs to be changed. All the stuff is in the diaper bag." "Ah man."  
  
Ranma carried the baby to the table as he tried to keep his nose closed. He started to undo the diaper. "AKANE, I don't think this kid is normal!" He yelled.  
  
"What?" She said walking into the living room in her robe. "Look at that stuff, it's not natural!" He pointed to the dirty diaper.  
  
Akane rolled her eyes, "Ranma, that's normal. Trust me." "Trust you, how am I supposed to trust you?" "I do baby sit now and then, Ranma." "Well then you change him." "No I'll show you how, for next time."  
  
"Okay first you remove the old diaper. Then you clean his bottom with the baby wipes." She said doing the action. "Next you powder him and place a new diaper underneath him. Pull the top part through his leg, fasten the back together and there a fresh diaper for a good boy."  
  
"That's it?" "Yup that's it." "I can do that."  
  
Akane just smiled and walked with Juro around the room, rocking him. Ranma just looked, "She can really be uncute at times," he thought.  
  
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~  
  
Something was bothered Akane, she couldn't fall back to sleep. She tossed and turned in her bed. It was 1:45 in the morning, and she couldn't sleep. She sat up, "Well I'll go downstairs and give Juro his 2am feeding. She got up out of bed, straightened her yellow pajamas and headed downstairs. She turned the corner to go into the living room, where they were kept the baby. She stopped short and saw Ranma. For some reason she didn't want him to see her. She moved back behind the wall and peeked her head around the doorway to watch. Ranma was walked near the doors that led to the backdoor. The soft sounds of a song could be heard form the nearby radio. He held Juro in his muscular right arm as he fed him his bottle. In his usually sleepwear of white tank top and yellow and blue boxers, Akane stared. She once overheard some of Kasumi's friends talking about there were nothing sexier then a man holding a baby. She didn't believe them then, but now she realized how right they were. He was spoke in low tones to calm the baby, but it made Akane's heart skip a beat. She had stared for ten minutes when the chimes on the clock stoked two o'clock. This caused her to jump, and released "oh" from her mouth. Ranma looked up.  
  
"Akane, what are you doing up?" "Umm, oh, I can came down to give Juro his 2 am feeding." "Oh, well you can see I got that covered." "Yea, I noticed. Why are you up?" "I couldn't sleep, so I came down for a snack, and saw him awake." "Oh."  
  
There was silence between the two, they both looked at the baby. After a few minutes passed, Juro fell asleep. Ranma placed him back in the crib.  
  
"Ranma, what made his mother leave him with us?" "I don't know, I don't know why anyone would give him up." "But the note said that she would come back for him." "It never said it was his mother, but yeah I know. However, that was four months ago." "Well, I guess we'll see." "Yup."  
  
Both of them started to head towards the kitchen and went to sit down at the kitchen table.  
  
"Hey remember his first real word?" "How could I forget it, only in this house his first real word would be baka."  
  
Akane giggled, "The best was your face expression when you went to pick him up. Out came this tiny sound, baka." "I don't think it's that funny." He said with a half smile. She released a laugh, "Yes it is." "Well I thought it was funnier when he called you tomboy." He laughed slightly.  
  
Akane's face fell to a frown for a second, but couldn't hold it in any longer. Both her and Ranma bursted out in laughter. "Shhh.. hahha shh.. haa. Shhh!" He tried to shush her, so they didn't wake the baby up.  
  
"Now that isn't as half as funny as when Kuno saw you in girl form holding Juro."  
  
"Oh, man do I remember what he said.hahah, what was it again, oh yea. 'Pigtail goddess, No! That vile Saotome has raped you and force you to bare his Child! Oh my Pigtail girl, I will help you by destroying the fiend! Come to me!'  
  
"Oh poor Kuno." Akane said. "Hey I was lucky to get away before he crushed Juro." Ranma said in defense.  
  
"And no, I believe you are wrong," he said. "Wrong about what?" She asked. "When Ryoga saw you with Juro, now that was classic." "That was not!" She said with a hint of anger.  
  
"Oh come on, when he came around the corner and saw you holding the baby in the air, the first thing out of his mouth was NOOOOooooooooo! And then jumped up and yelled he was going to kill me for touching you." He laughed. "I mean how could he think I would have a baby with you when I haven't really even kiss you y..e..t.." His eyes widen when he realized Akane was there right in front of him. Silent, she turned a nice shade of red. Well actually he was turned red too.  
  
"Ummm.. I mean..um"  
  
"Oh.. ummmm.oh Look at the time, it's almost 3 am. We should go to bed, oh I mean um go to sleep, and Uh go to sleep in our own rooms." Akane said as she spoke quickly. "Good idea," he agreed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The baby laughed and giggled as it played with the small black pig. Ryoga, however, did not like this at all. The kid pulled on ears, and poked his eyes.  
  
"Oh look, baby Juro loves to play with P-chan. Aren't they cute, quick Nabiki take a picture."  
  
"Oh look how Akane likes me to play with him. I just can't stand to see Ranma with that grin on his face. He knows I don't like this, and all he can do is smirk, but Juro is kind of cute, when he is asleep and sometimes when he smiles, but he was the cutest when Akane holds him. Oh, I can't wait till the day she would hold my own child the way she holds Juro," Ryoga thought.  
  
"Oh those will be darling." Kasumi said sweetly as she brought over a cake with a single candle to the table. "I can't believe this little guy has been here for a whole year." Ranma said as he picked up the joyful baby boy. Akane followed and picked up P-chan. Ranma sat down with Juro on his lap.  
  
"Why don't you help him blow out the candle." Kasumi said. "Sure thing. Are you ready kid?"  
  
Juro just giggled.  
  
"Ready, one, two three..Blow." Ranma help blow out the lit stick of wax. ______________________________________________________________________  
  
~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The streets of Nerima were dark once again. A light fog covered the ground. Sounds of running footsteps echoed through the street. The sounds stopped in front of the Tendo Dojo. The cloaked figure scanned the area, and carefully made their way into the yard. Quickly the figure slipped through the back doors that lead into the dinning room. The eyes underneath the hood searched the living room, and found it. Without making sound, they walked over to the crib and stared at the baby.  
  
Ryoga was lost again and he tried desperately to find Akane's room. She would expected her P-chan, but he wasn't there. He wondered through the room with a tile floor. "This could be the bathroom," he thought, but no. He didn't see a bathtub. "This had to be the kitchen."  
  
He wondered some more, passed through the dinning room and into the living room. He heard someone speak softly to the baby. "It's probably Kasumi, it sounded very motherly, but it doesn't smell like her." In pig form, Ryoga had a very keen sense of smell. Kasumi usually smelled of spices. Spices weren't what he smelled. He continued to walk along the floorboards, but one of them squeaked. The figured turned around. Ryoga's eyes widen. He didn't know this girl, by sight or by smell, but she held Juro tightly to her body. That was enough to sound the alarms in his head. He started to squeal loudly.  
  
Ranma woke up with alarm. He could heard Ryoga yelling, well squealing. Something must be up. Akane also heard her P-chan squeal. "I wonder what is wrong with P-chan this night? Ranma better not be teasing him again." Akane opened her door and found Ranma just about to go down the stairs.  
  
"Ranma what did you do to P-chan?" "I didn't do anything. I was just going to see what was wrong with bacon bits."  
  
"Well somebody better shut that pig up." Nabiki said with a yawn as she walked out of her room.  
  
"Akane, Ranma, what's going on?" Soun asked. "Bgrrrrrr" Genma growled.  
  
"Oh my, what's going on. All that noise will wake the baby." Kasumi said.  
  
"The baby!" everyone said at once. _______________________________________________________________________  
  
"BEEEWWWAWWWWEEEEE!" Ryoga squealed.  
  
"Shhh! The girl tried to quite the small black pig. The living room light flicked on. "HEY! What the HELL is going on! Who the Hell are you!" Ranma yelled to the hooded figure. Juro started to cry. "What are you doing with Juro!" Akane yelled. "Put down the baby!" Ranma sternly said as he raised his fists.  
  
"Please, you don't understand." She said in a shaky voice. "Please, F..please I have missed him so much," tears began to form in her eyes.  
  
"Are you Juro's mother?" Akane asked to girl. She turned her eyes away and looked toward the floor. "Yes." "Well then who are you? How are you relative to Ranma or to us?" Akane questioned.  
  
She signed, with her free hand she removed the hood that covered half of her face. Underneath revealed a young women, about the age of Kasumi, with black hair and blue-gray eyes. She looked just like Ranma's girl form, but with black hair. "How? How can that be?" Soun asked. "What the hell is going on?" Ranma yelled.  
  
The girl looked at Nabiki, "Thank you for not telling." "Tell us what?" Akane asked her sister. "Umm, well." "No!, let me tell them." The girl interrupted.  
  
She looked down at the baby in her arms and smiled. She then looked up to the group of people in front of her.  
  
"I am Keiko Saotome, heir to the Saotome-Tendo dojo. She look directly at Ranma and Akane, "Mother, Father this is your grandson Juro."  
  
Soun and Genma started to cry with tears of joy. Akane and Ranma looked at each other and fainted. So did a little black pig. Kasumi's could only say "Oh my." And Nabiki just stared at her future niece.  
  
To be continued..  
  
Author's note: Well hello all you Ranma fans out there. Hope you like this fic. I'm not the best when it comes to grammar. This started out as a one shot fic, but I decided to make it into two to three parts. Just to let you know the name Juro means long life in Japanese, and Keiko means adored one in Japanese. Send feedback if you like, I really like to hear from people. Later all.--RJ 


	2. When the Wind Blows

Disclaimer:  
  
These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful Romiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans. No copyright infringement is intended. So please don't sue.  
  
~~~~***~~~**~~~***~~~~  
  
And the Cradle will Rock  
  
Part Two: When the Wind Blows  
  
by Kayko  
  
Ranma and Akane laid on the floor, they have just fainted.  
  
~~~~~~SPLASH!!!~~~~~~~~  
  
A slash of cold water was thrown over both of them.  
  
**Cough**Cough** "What'cha do that for?" Ranma yelled.  
  
"To wake your ass up." Nabiki replied. She helped her sister and handed Ranma a kettle of hot water. Ranma returned to his male form.  
  
"Man I had the weirdest dream that this girl came here, saying she was mine and Akane's daughter and Juro was our grandson." Ranma nervously laughed as he placed his hand on his neck.  
  
"Umm Ranma? It wasn't a dream." Nabiki said.  
  
"What?" Akane and Ranma said. Both their eyes looked behind Nabiki to find a young women who held Juro in her arms. Her eyes met theirs and started to get up.  
  
She quietly said "Hello. Sorry about this whole situation."  
  
Akane stared, she looked just like Ranma's female form, but with black hair. "They could be brother and sister," she thought. "That has to be it," she concluded wrongly.  
  
"Well I guess I should explain." Keiko said as she looked at her young parent's faces. "Good idea," said Ranma.  
  
"Let me make some tea. Here let me take the baby and put him back to sleep." Kasumi said reaching her Juro.  
  
"No" Keiko said as she held him tightly. "Let me do it please." She pleaded . "Of course. I'll go make that tea."  
  
Keiko returned from putting the baby in the crib to find that everyone was sitting at the dinning room table waiting for an explanation. Even Ryoga, in his cursed form, was awake and waiting to hear this girl's explanation as he sat in Akane's lap. She took the emptied seat at the head of table. All eyes were on her.  
  
"Umm, I don't know where to start?"  
  
"How did you get here if you are from the future?" Akane asked.  
  
Keiko smiled as she looked at her young mother. "That is a good question." She said as she reached inside cloak she wore and pulled out a small mirror. "I traveled back here with this." She held it up and immediately they knew what it was, the Nan-ban mirror(1). Only a piece of it though.  
  
"But how?" Soun yelled.  
  
"Yeah, Nabiki stepped on it and broke it!" Ranma yelled throwing a glare at Nabiki.  
  
Keiko held the small mirror in her hand. Different from the last time they saw the magic mirror, it was only a shard from when it was accidentally walked on. It was surrounded with gold and was only about the size of her hand.  
  
"It was thrown away, I remember, plus it was broke. How could it work?." Akane asked. "Yes it was, but Cologne retrieved it."  
  
"You mean Cologne has had the pieces of the mirror and never told us!" Ranma yelled angrily. "I can't believe she has the mirror and wouldn't let me use it."  
  
"I would do you no good." Keiko stated.  
  
"WHAT? You used it." he said.  
  
"Yes, I am used it, but it is only through more magic that it entitles me to travel. Unfortunately only myself, Juro and my husband can travel through it.  
  
"How can that be?" Genma asked. "That can be explained a little later, but for right now where is Cologne?"  
  
"Cologne? Who cares where that old ghoul is."  
  
"It is very important."  
  
"I believe she is out of the country, went back to her village." Nabiki said.  
  
"How do you know that?" Ranma asked.  
  
"I have contacts Ranma. I make it my business to know where certain people are."  
  
"Speaking of which, what did she mean 'Thank you for not telling'? Did you know who Juro was?" Akane asked her sister.  
  
"Uh." she hesitated.  
  
Keiko, nodded slightly to give permission to tell them the truth.  
  
"I knew who Juro was because I wrote my self a letter that told me."  
  
"WHAT?" Ranma and the rest yelled.  
  
"Hold on, I'll be right back." Nabiki stood up and walked out of the room. A minute later she came back with a 2 pieces of paper, a white gel pen and a small black light. She sat down and held up the piece of paper.  
  
" This is note we received when Juro was left on our doorstep a year ago. See," she said holding the letter up. "Well in the corner I noticed a tiny B. L. when I read it over. You see, B. L. stands for Black Light. When the paper is exposed to a short wave black light anything written in white ink will appear." She uncapped her pen and wrote something out on the other piece of paper. "Now as you see, it looks as if nothing is written, but when I turn on the black light it will show up. Kasumi could you please turn off the lights." Once her older sister turned them off the group sat in darkness, until Nabiki turned on the black light. The room glowed with many black light responsive objects. She held up the piece of paper she just wrote on and place it above the light. A deep purple message was revealed, 'Ranma you owe me money.' Ranma growled slightly at Nabiki.  
  
"When I did this to the note we got I realized it was a letter from me." She took out the note they got a year ago and held it above the light. Again a deep purple message appeared.  
  
*****************************************************************  
  
Nabiki,  
  
I know you will have figured out this coded message because you are extremely smart and beautiful. I know this because I am you, a future you. Don't believe me, well all I have to say is "JUICE." Now that you most likely believe, I will continue on. The baby that was left with you and your family is your future grandnephew. Yes, grandnephew. Akane and Ranma will have a baby girl, named Keiko. She will then give birth to a son, Juro. It is imperative that this is kept a secret the time the child is staying with you. No one is to know who he really is. I have found enough early 21st century money to help with expensive. I hope all goes well and if you are still not conceived, a blood test will help confirm this information.  
  
All my love, Nabiki  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
"Whoa." Ranma and Akane stated at the same time.  
  
"You can turn on the lights now Kasumi." Nabiki said.  
  
"So Juro is really our grandson?" Ranma asked, but mostly looked at Akane. Akane stared back. She could hardly believe it also.  
  
"Ohhhh my baby girl is going to have a beautiful daughter who will have a handsome son!" Soun cried as he hugged Genma who was also cried with tears of happiness.  
  
"I can't believe you never told us Nabiki," Akane voiced.  
  
"Akane, I was told by myself to keep it a secret. I was a little spectacle in the beginning, but I did get a blood test done and it is true that Juro is related to both you and Ranma."  
  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Back to the whole mirror thing again, how come it's useless to us now? Ranma asked Keiko, his future daughter.  
  
"Tears no longer make it work," she said as she glanced at her watch.  
  
What is the supposed to mean? What makes it work?"  
  
"Blood," was her answer. She stood up, put the shard of the Nan-ban mirror back inside her cloak and walk over to where the baby was slept. She picked up her son and smiled. Carefully she rocked the child, so not to wake him as she walked towards the group.  
  
"Blood?" Akane asked.  
  
"Yes blood," she said as she looked past the group and into the backyard. Ranma and everyone followed her gaze into the dark backyard. A figure stood near by the Koi pond.  
  
"Oh my!" Kasumi exclaimed.  
  
The figure walked closer and revealed that it was man dressed in black silk pants, a white Chinese style long sleeved shirt with black gloves. He continued towards the group and walked into the light of the living room. He looked to be a little taller then Ranma, with dark shinny black hair, with one green streak in the middle of his bangs that hung slightly in front of his deep emerald green almond shaped eyes. He seemed to glide toward Keiko and the baby. She smile as he came up to her and kissed her gently on the lips and then with utmost care he lightly kissed the forehead of the sleeping baby.  
  
He looked up into her eyes as asked, "Is everything all right?"  
  
"Yes, right now everything is fine. Was she there?" She said as she gazed into his eyes.  
  
"No, probably won't arrive until after sunrise," he said.  
  
"Oh," she replied with a quick look toward Ranma and Akane.  
  
The man looked at their bewildered faces and turned back to Keiko. "I take it they don't know of me yet?" He asked as she nodded no.  
  
He turned around and faced Ranma and Akane. He came closer to them, with Keiko right beside him.  
  
"Father, Mother, this is my husband Sen," Keiko said.  
  
Sen bowed slightly, not as much as the Japanese do when they greet someone, but enough to show respect. Ranma and Akane looked at the man in front of him and bowed somewhat uncomfortably. They have just met their future daughter's husband.  
  
"It is most honorable to meet you Sir," he said to Ranma.  
  
"Sir?" Ranma thought. How odd, an older man was calling him Sir.  
  
"I know this is probably very confusing to you, but it had to be done. There was nothing else we could do."  
  
"What do you mean, there was nothing else you could do?" Akane asked.  
  
"We had no choice but to come back to this time, to leave our son with you. It was the safest place for him to be."  
  
"I don't understand? Why is this time the safest place for him to be?" Ranma asked. "Because no one can harm him in the past."  
  
"Who would want to harm him?" Akane asked.  
  
"That is a very long story and will have to wait until we speak to Cologne. It very important. She will return in a few hours and then we can explain what is going on here." Sen noticed the disapproved looks he was received, "I would really like to explain, but it was a long journey and I need to rest and regain my energy. Please can you wait a few hours." he almost pleaded.  
  
Ranma and Akane looked at each other and back at Sen. "Yes, of course we can. You can use my room to sleep in." Ranma said.  
  
"Thank you Sir, but that won't be necessary. I need to be outside." He bowed slightly, turned and kissed his wife and child. He walked outside into the backyard and sat in a lotus position. Within seconds he was in a trance-like state.  
  
"How odd." Akane stated. "Why outside?" She asked Keiko, but noticed she was no longer in front of her. Keiko had walked over the crib and placed the baby back inside. She tucked her son in and smiled. She located the rocking chair off to the side and sat back. She closed her eyes as sleep swept over her.  
  
"Oh my, she will get a bad back ache if she sleeps in that chair. Ranma why don't you take her upstairs," Kasumi said.  
  
Akane was about to protest, but then realized that this was her daughter, not some stranger, not another girl after Ranma's heart. For the first time this night Akane smiled. She smiled because she knew she would end up with Ranma. That, out of the prettier girls, he chose her. They would have a child, a beautiful daughter and in turn she would have a beautiful son. She smiled and looked at Ranma, who stared at her with a weird expression on his face. He had asked her a question, but she was to busy inside her own head to hear it.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Do you mind if I put her in your room?"  
  
"Oh no, not at all."  
  
Ranma nodded and walked over to the sleeping girl. As if she weighed nothing to him, he lifted her up and acceded to the second floor.  
  
"Well I think we all should get some sleep." Genma stated. "Good idea Saotome." Soun replied.  
  
"I guess I'll crash on your floor Nabiki."  
  
"Fine, no problem."  
  
"Oh look, poor P-chan is out cold. I wonder why?"  
  
"Probably because he just found out Ranma gets you," Nabiki thought.  
  
"Who knows Akane, is it really that important?"  
  
"I swear, I think he understands us."  
  
"Really Akane, how clueless can you be?" Nabiki said as she walked away.  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?"  
  
Not looking back she replied, "nothing."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The sun had risen and as if nothing out of the ordinary Kasumi was already up and in the process of having breakfast made.  
  
Upstairs Akane's bedroom door slowly opened and Ranma's head peeked in to look at the girl in the bed.  
  
"Ranma, what are you doing?"  
  
Jumping about 5 feet, Ranma turned around to see Akane who stared at him with a frown upon her face.  
  
"Jeeze, Akane you scared me."  
  
"Well?"  
  
"Well what? I just wanted to make sure I didn't dream it ok."  
  
Her face lightened as she looked past the pigtail boy and into her own room.  
  
"I understand," she said.  
  
"You do?"  
  
"Yes, Ranma I do. It seems pretty unbelievable."  
  
Ranma smiled at Akane as he began to close the door. "Come on, let her sleep some more."  
  
"Don't worry I'm awake," a voice within the bedroom called out.  
  
"I'm sorry. Did we wake you?" Akane asked.  
  
"No Mom, you didn't," Keiko said as she got up from under the covers.  
  
Hearing the word "mom" Akane's face started to turn a healthy shade of red. She looked at Ranma, whose face seem to be doing the same. Thank the gods at the same moment Kasumi's voice came from the bottom of the stairs, "Breakfast is ready."  
  
"Breakfast! Let's eat!" Ranma cheerfully yelled as he escaped to the downstairs.  
  
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~  
  
Downstairs the regular residents were seated at their usual spots with an extra guest holding a baby and a young man still sitting by the koi pond.  
  
"Umm, is Sen going to come in and have breakfast?" Akane asked.  
  
With a half smile Keiko turned to see her husband waver slightly. "No he won't need to eat, but should be done with his rest shortly. He will join us when he wakes."  
  
"Doesn't he eat?" Ranma asked.  
  
"Yes sometimes, but his body doesn't require food as ours do."  
  
"What? That doesn't make sense," Ranma stated. "People need to eat. Sure I know some people can go a couple of days without any food, but our bodies do require food."  
  
"Human bodies need food," she replied.  
  
"Sen isn't human?" Ranma asked.  
  
"Nope," was her simple response, in which the residents face faulted into the table.  
  
"What do you mean he isn't human?" Ranma asked forcefully.  
  
However Keiko didn't have time to answer, instead a voice fill with many years behind them answered instead.  
  
"He is far from human son-in-law?"  
  
"Cologne? How would you know?" Akane asked.  
  
"Can't you feel it?" She asked as she started at the young man who at the same time quickly opened his eyes.  
  
Sen approached the aging Amazon and said, "Long time no see Elder Cologne."  
  
TBC...  
  
Author's Note: I hope you like what is going on so far. I think I finally figured out how I'm going to end it. Yeah! A bit of hanger there, just felt it was time to send this chapter.  
  
1 Nan-ban mirror:  
  
Episode 37  
  
Happosai came to the Joketsuzoku village in his youth and stole from Cologne a magic mirror with the power to transport people another place and time when a tear is shed upon it. The mirror was dropped and Nabiki stepped on it. 


End file.
